A Special Gift: Jigsaw Puzzle Quilt
To celebrate my grandmother’s 90th, I crafted her a delightful jigsaw puzzle quilt. As an avid puzzle lover who accompanies me to quilt shows, this seemed like the perfect gift.
I leveraged the power of Electric Quilt 8 software for the design and depended on my AccuQuilt Go! for precision cutting. My embroidery machine added the finishing touches with a seamless puzzle design. It was a joy to see her adore the finished quilt!
Interested in crafting a similar masterpiece? Dive in for my free quilt pattern and the sewing steps.
Fabric Selection
I chose a mix of three solid colors and five patterned fabrics. Feel free to bring your own spin to the design. The patterned fabrics came from identical Fat Quarter bundles I couldn’t resist at JOANN. For the solids, I leaned into broadcloth over quilting cotton; it simply matched the palette better, and I had a good amount on hand.
For the quilt’s back, I went with a bit over 1 1/2 yards of 60″ wide white quilting cotton, the same material I picked for binding. The batting choice was 80/20 cotton/poly batting – it’s soft, my embroidery machine favors it, and the outcome is always pleasing.
Tools and Measurements
I possess the 8″ AccuQuilt Qube with the accessories. If cutting isn’t your forte, the AccuQuilt Go! is a lifesaver! For this design, I used three specific AccuQuilt dies, all aligned with the dimensions I had in mind.
If you’re not an AccuQuilt user, remember to include seam allowances. This means 4.5″ squares and an extra 1/4″ for each HST. Also, it’s possible to adjust this pattern for different block sizes.
Design Overview
The EQ8 pattern above serves as a rough blueprint. While the colors might seem bold, it was crucial for the layout process. Each block is a 12″ square made up of nine 4″ squares. This results in a quilt measuring 48″x48″ pre-binding. For customization, feel free to add more blocks.
Sewing Steps
1. Cut Pieces: Begin by cutting the necessary quilt pieces. My AccuQuilt made this breeze as I indulged in some Hallmark movies.
2. Layout Fabric Pieces: Use a spacious area to lay out block pieces for an ideal color combo.
3. Sew HSTs on Squares: For efficient piecing, sew the 1″ HSTs on square corners with a 1/4″ seam.
4. Sew Row By Row: Instead of block by block, go row by row for a seamless look.
5. Sew Rows Together: Stitch the rows together and press the seams.
6. Prepare the Quilt Sandwich: Stack the backing fabric, batting, and quilt top.
7. Quilt the Top: Finish up using your preferred quilting method. I adore the puzzle machine embroidery approach.
8. Square Up and Add Binding: Ensure symmetry post-quilting, trim any extra fabric, and add the binding.
9. Add Quilt Label: Every gift quilt deserves a label. Choose your method; I used EQ8 and fusible, printable fabric sheets.
Final Thoughts ✨
This puzzle quilt doesn’t need applique and is perfect for a weekend project. It brought immense joy to my grandmother, and I’m excited for you to embark on this sewing journey!
Essential Details:
Detail | Description |
---|---|
Fabric | 3 solid colors, 5 patterned fabrics |
Tools | Electric Quilt 8, AccuQuilt Go!, embroidery machine |
Batting | 80/20 cotton/poly |
Quilt Size | 48″x48″ before binding |